It Never Rains In Southern California by Albert Hammond

Album: It Never Rains In Southern California (1972)

Charted: 5

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Songfacts®:

Hammond is a singer and songwriter who wrote this with help from lyricist Mike Hazlewood. Their songs have been recorded by many artists, including Art Garfunkel, Johnny Cash and Olivia Newton-John. Hazlewood died in May 2001 while vacationing in Italy. Other hits Mike helped Hammond write include "The Air That I Breathe" and "Free Electric Band." >>>
Suggestion credit:
Mike - Mountlake Terrace, Washington
Hammond: "It never rains... was written in London, before we (Albert and Michael) came to Los Angeles, and we knew we were coming, and I've been telling Mike the story of me in Spain when I started and how I was asking for money outside of the train stations because I had no money to eat and I didn't want to tell my parents. My cousin was on honeymoon then, and he came out of the train station and saw me, and I didn't even know it was him... I just asked him for some money, too. And he said 'you should be ashamed, I'm gonna tell your father,' and I said 'please, don't tell him, he'll go crazy and stop me doing this!'

And then he took me back into the hotel, I had a bath, he gave me some clean clothes and some money. I moved on, but he did tell my father, you know. All these things like 'will you tell the folks back home I nearly made it' and all that stuff came from that era of my life when I was struggling, trying to make it, trying to get from Morocco to Spain, from Spain to England, from England to America... That struggle you go through, that's It never rains in Southern California, the story of my life."
Hammond: "One of my most important songs not only because I think it's a great song and I love it and I think it tells the story of my life in a way, but also because I was the artist, the producer, the writer - I mean, everything was right, it was just like the right thing. If I hadn't had that, I might have got slowly downhill, you know."
Albert's son Albert Hammond Jr. is a member of The Strokes. >>>
Suggestion credit:
Paul - Tulsa, OK

Comments: 39

Dp_music from Welcome, NcThe song has nothing to do with the weather. The title is hyperbole. It's about the lies told to people to get them to travel to distant locals for new opportunities. Like in Hollywood. Once there you are very unlikely to make it due the great number of people trying to get in. A great song that should have been a #1. By the way LA gets about 14-15 inches of rain a year. Most of it between November to March.
Marion Delgado from Far EastHammond was busking in Spain, and he encountered his cousin at a train station. He was penniless and embarrassed to be seen in such a state, so he begged his cousin not to tell his father about his situation. His cousin took him to the hotel let him take a shower and gave him some money. The cousin told his father anyway. The song was written in London with Mike Hazelwood, and the setting was changed from Spain to Southern California to better resonate with American audiences.
George from BcThe main is on good drugs. It rains plenty in southern California; just be from a place with non-stop rain & plan a two week vacation to Southern California & you'll see plenty of rain!

Maybe he's from New England & this is how he pictures SoCal? Then one of his lyrics says it never rains in California; hey, San Francisco & everywhere north of there! wet & green! If he's actually from SoCal, then he has a line on some good drugs coming in from Mexico. . .
Oliver Clothesoff from SomewhereAs a kid, I figured the song’s character was some foolish American, but the fact that he hopped a westbound 747 meant he was from overseas, since that plane was seldom used for domestic flights.
Pomdter from IdWith the weather dramatics caused by the global warming crowd, this song seems very fitting.
Every day the news screams "California is in a drought!", until it suddenly changes to "California is flooded!"
Steve from Elizabethtown PaIn 1972 I was fresh out of high school, 17 years old, and working on-air at WNBT Wellsboro PA, a top 40 a.m. radio station… It was just prior to the breakout of FM and this was one of my favorite and go to songs. It's one of the songs from that area that I still have readily available in my mind, but then there was so much great music from that decade…
Susan Hammond from EnglandI'm sure I heard an interview with Albert Hammond about this song, and he explained that it was based on a true experience of his. I think he said that "the talk of opportunity, TV breaks and movies, rang true, sure rang true", came about when he had a psychic reading, and success was predicted for him. Whenever I hear the song,I wonder if Albert considered the song a success,and, have his songt been played on TVand in movies? From reading the above, it does seem that he considered this song to be his big break, and that his career may not have happened without it...?
Seventhmist from 7th HeavenOne of my all-time favorite songs. I first heard it when I was 10.
Him from Western AustraliaI heard this song today for the first in about forty years and was transported back my early teen years when life simply sheer joy. Hot summers on the beach and good times. I wished I could got back there. Thanks
Susan from Atlanta, GeorgiaMarcel in Spring, TX, I hope enough time has passed that you are doing better here in the USA. I found your comments poignant and moving and hope your new home is becoming what you had hoped it would be.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn February 3rd 1973, Albert Hammond performed "It Never Rains in California" on the ABC-TV program 'American Bandstand'...
At the time the song was at #73 on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it was also its 16th and last week on the chart...
{See the 2nd post below}
On the same 'Bandstand' show he also performed "If You Gotta Break Another Heart"; and twenty-two days later on February 25th, 1973 it entered the Top 100 for a six week stay, reaching #63...
Between 1972 and 1975 he had nine Top 100 records; with "It Never Rains in California" being his only Top 10 record, his next biggest hit was "The Free Electric Band", which peaked at #48 in 1973.
Sieg-f from Rizhao,chinaIt's just me and many people's stories.Change the Southern California to any other place you long to live but have to back home.
Barry from Sauquoit, NyOn December 10th 1972, "It Never Rains In Southern California" by Albert Hammond peaked at #5 (for 3 weeks) on Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart; it had entered the chart on October 15th and spent 16 weeks on the Top 100...
It reached #2 on Billboard's Adult Contemporary Tracks chart...
On February 19th, 1973 it peaked at #1 (for 6 weeks) on the 'Japanese Oricon International' chart...
Mr. Hammond will celebrate his 70th birthday come next May 18th.
Paul from Cleveland, OhI heard a song yesterday that sounded similar to "It Never Rains In Southern California", the flute riff sounded similar and it talked about loving all the girls...I just can't find the song right now!
Marcel from Spring, TxI'm a 21 years old boy. My family and I immigrated to the USA couple of years ago. I relate this song a lot to my life of immigrants. The USA is not quiet what we thought it was. The night before our departure, we were so delighted, thinking we were heading to an Utopia, where everything will be just fine. I thought everybody worked in office and had big houses, nice cars, and nearly nearly everything. Conversely to our fantasies, our poor life of immigrants is paved with hardships, problems, sorrows, distress... But Boy, ever since I came across this song, I came to believe that it's never been easy for a newcomer. Albert Jr helps me take our situation with courage and a hope of a better and brighter future.
Thanks, Of course it never rains in the USA.
James from Yucaipa, CaGreat song. One of my 70s favorites. 8/21/10
Mike from Santa Barbara, CaI'm surprised that this song was about the author's life before he got to Los Angeles. I thought it was about a struggling actor whose career is going nowhere and doesn't want anyone back home to know that he didn't make it.
Ai from Marikina, PhilippinesI remember a friend telling me, back in '72, how this song ought to be the year's best (in Manila, where I came from.) I don't remember making any reply but after I heard the song again a few days ago, I now wonder. Thirty-eight years after the fact. Thanks.
Jim from Long Beach, CaBeing born and raised in Southern California, this song hits home. I loved this song in '73 and to this day..
Julia from Richland, WaMy dad and I really like this song.
Charles from Bronxville, NyHaving basically lived this song, I can relate. I took a trip out to LA to try to get into film. I wrote several letters but only heard back from one or two studios. I ended up working the graveyard shift at a 7-11. I told my parents I'd gotten a job at at studio. Eventually I had to go home.
Gordon from Beijing, ChinaThis song was cutting-edge Top 40 production style and quality for the time. The hook and vocals jumped right out of the radio.
Bob from Kingwood, TxThe music in a recent Pine-Sol television commercial has a flute riff almost identical to the one in this song. Each time I hear it, I automatically think of "It Never Rains In Southern California." Has anyone else noticed this?
Michael from Sumter , ScThis song is truely one of the Classic AM songs from the 70's. This song has always had personal meaning; I have always had this rebel inside that wanted to drop everything and head to the left coast and give it a shot!
Farrah from Elon, NcIt's a sad and haunting song indeed, but it's also one of the best songs of the 70s.
Lazy from Shenzhen, ChinaI fell in love with this song when i heard it the first time. It made me smile at the very beginning,but after i listening it again and again, it made my eyes moisture.
Giveusakiss from Geelong, AustraliaI hate this song. Julio Iglesias gives it the treatment it deserves at the end of 'Moonlight Lady'
Megan from Winnipeg, CanadaI love this song, but no one in my family does for some reason.
Hasnat from London, EnglandI have heard this song twice now and i am totally entranced. As Mr.Hammond says it is perfect in every way. It takes me back to when things were more simple and difficult at the same time; makes me feel young, full of hope and despair at the same time. Shakes me out of my time worn cynicism to a wonderful time of discovery.
Paul from Sao Paulo, BrazilSou do Brasil e lembro-me de ter ouvido esta bela canção nos anos 70, quando tinha 20 e poucos anos.
Em minha juventude, costumava passar férias no interior de São Paulo, numa cidadezinha muito agradável chamada Quatá. Esta música, naquela época, tocava a todo momento nas rádios.
Gravamos num K7 e passamos a ouví-la no toca- fitas do carro, na rua e em todo lugar em que íamos.
Nossa turma toda, a rapaziada e as meninas, cantavam em inglês "adaptado", mas a plenos pulmões!!
Víamos o Sol começar a se pôr, vermelho, no horizonte, acompanhávamos a chegada da Lua enorme e clara no iníco da noite e de madrugada e víamos o Sol nascer no dia seguinte, mas a música continuava a tocar a todo volume.
Como éramos felizes !!
Era uma época em que se cantava sem nem mesmo saber a letra, apenas a emoção te guiava, e era o suficiente para você ser feliz...
Nunca mais pude esquecê-la !
É uma música sempre presente em minha vida, faz parte das minhas mais queridas lembranças.
Através desta e de outras músicas, passei a ser fã, amar mesmo a Califórnia de maneira incondicional.
Depois, como adulto, tive a oportunidade de estar várias vezes na Califórnia, minha paixão desde então, sempre lembrando que este verdadeiro amor começou há muitos anos atrás, por causa de uma música...
Pode nunca chover no parte de baixo da Califórnia, mas no meu coração até hoje esta música faz chover...
Paul
S. Paulo
Brasil
Steve from Anoka, MnThis was also covered in 2000 by semi-country act Trent Summar & The New Row Mob, with a little steel guitar thrown in.
Doug from Chicago, IlI remember hearing this song many times, from an AM radio in a primitive hotel in Costa Rica. I had just finished college and left the country, and its melancholy mood about a displaced person filled with longing and desire reached me, quite memorably. Rarely heard it after that, but it never lost its poignant appeal. Good song!
Jennifer from Los Angeles, CaI remember this one vividly from when I was a kid, but I don't think I've heard it since.
Garrett from Nashville, TnHammond also wrote "To All the Girls I've Loved Before" with hal david.
Howard from St. Louis Park, MnThe song was recorded on the Mums label and the flipside was titled "Anyone Here in the Audience?"
Peter from Mistelbach, AustriaLisa, Flower Mound, TX wrote "What a great and honest song! I agree her then for my it's a masterpiece.
Denny from Stockton, CaHeard this song on a rainy day while vacationing in Germany. Brought back great memories but could not remember who sang it until I was able to find a computer to Google it.
Aj from Cleveland, GaSuch a sad, haunting song.
John from Levittown, NyI always thought this song was about doing oneself in after failing to hit it big.

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